Gambel's Quail
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Gregarious birds of the Southwest, they hang out together in coveys, scurrying along desert washes. They fly only when they have to, and commonly hide out under cactus. They nest on the ground in depressions under cover of vegetation, hatching 5 to 15 eggs at a time. At hatching the chicks are covered in dense down and are able to leave the nest right away to follow the parents. These "caravans" are common in the spring and highly entertaining, with the chicks scurrying after their parents. These images were captured in Portal/Cave Creek Canyon in late April of 2016 at a friendly back-yard feeder open to the public for the price of a donation to cover bird seed. To the left a male, below a male and female at a feeder.
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